1930 ushered in a new decade and a world teetering between mystery and modernity. It was a year of detectives, jazz, speakeasies, and iconic characters stepping onto the cultural stage—many of whom have been locked behind copyright for nearly a century. Now, at long last, their cases have been reopened.

This year, we follow “The Case of the Disappearing Copyright” as beloved sleuths and unforgettable stories slip back into the hands of the public. Nancy Drew makes her public domain debut with her first four mystery stories, beginning with The Secret of the Old Clock. Agatha Christie’s famed detective Miss Marple appears in her first novel, The Murder at the Vicarage. And the full book version of The Maltese Falcon featuring Sam Spade, Dashiell Hammett’s hard-boiled private eye, steps into the public domain, ready for new adventures.

But the mystery doesn’t end there:

• Betty Boop makes her first appearance in Dizzy Dishes

• Disney’s iconic bloodhound debuts as Rover (later known as Pluto)

• The Academy Award–winning Best Picture, All Quiet on the Western Front, enters the public domain

• Beloved classics like The Little Engine That Could join the celebration

• Timeless musical compositions “Georgia on My Mind,” “I Got Rhythm,” and “Dream a Little Dream of Me” become free for all to remix and reimagine

• The Technicolor musical revue King of Jazz joins the party

RESOURCES SHARED

• Chat

plus-circle Add Review

comment

Reviews